前苏联共合国乔治亚这一阵子流行用水蛭治疗疾病,以往欧洲人会用水蛭治疗痔疮,乔治亚人把这项疗法发扬光大,用来治疗其他疾病。5 v5 w) j0 ]& V( E6 o
; w! j; O+ V8 X/ ~3 I2 ~ D9 \人在德国 社区 乔治亚很多诊所都提供水蛭疗法,病人得先跟诊所买一只水蛭,更年期妇女先把水蛭放在脖子上,经过一、二十分钟,水蛭吸完血,身体膨胀4倍,就可以取下,接着医师再把另外2只水蛭放在这名妇女上下牙龈上,等吸完血再取出,医师在患者伤口上贴上绷带,就算完成治疗。接受过治疗的妇女说,她们在更年期会出现的潮红和盗汗都有明显改善。4 _3 j0 h5 \$ l3 r: N
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另外,有一些高血压或是经常性头痛病人,也会用水蛭疗法降低血压,或是治疗头痛。一名医师说,不但乔治亚人用水蛭治病,乌克兰、波兰、甚至德国,也有不少人接受这种疗法。$ p' s. }0 [3 y3 \0 n- p
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Women turn to leeches in Tbilisi 22 June 2011 & d2 s7 J, u% z* j0 `9 u7 B& @$ ~2 Y# C: h, e' k- N- x" l
Leeches have been used in medicine for thousands of years. By attaching themselves to the body, and sucking blood from a patient, they were thought to bring health benefits.人在德国 社区, P; n% t0 r$ K3 b' A
. e( w) w! Z' k' k- ^3 U6 S" H人在德国 社区The idea being that disease could be banished by releasing the infected blood. 7 A3 D% }- J5 M2 H' C. G! }3 [. Z) g+ v( ^
That idea fell out of fashion during the 20th century, with the discovery of modern drugs. But today, as interest in traditional medicine grows, they are making a comeback - particularly in the former Soviet State of Georgia. - O1 ^/ f4 h: o3 Zrs238848.rs.hosteurope.de , v$ B" i6 G/ i( v) N0 \Damien McGuinness in the capital Tbilisi has been finding out why.